


First night

by Theonewhobloomsinthebittersnow



Series: Patchwork Family [5]
Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: Angst to Fluff, F/M, i haven't really edited this one, orpheus should have a soapbox, phoenix is there too obviously, pls don't be mean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23405611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhobloomsinthebittersnow/pseuds/Theonewhobloomsinthebittersnow
Summary: Prompt: Give me. Orphydice, the night after they meet Phoenix. What’s that night like, what’s that conversation like that all of a sudden they've got this little kid in their lives that no, is not theirs, but is now part of their lives.
Relationships: Eurydice/Orpheus (Hadestown)
Series: Patchwork Family [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667569
Kudos: 10





	First night

**Author's Note:**

> TW: mentions of child abuse, trauma, self-deprication

It was quieter than usual in Hermes’s small living room. No one was quite sure what to say. Hermes was out at the market buying a few necessities that they hadn’t been able to find around the house. Orpheus and Eurydice were sitting, rather awkwardly, on the couch. Phoenix was sitting across from them. She’d had a bath which had revealed a small bony face surrounded by curly blond hair. She was wearing one of Orpheus’s old shirts along with her underwear and leggings. Her shirt they had ended up throwing out after it basically fell apart in the wash. Now she was sitting in the chair opposite the couch. Her shoulders were hunched and she was watching Orpheus and Eurydice, specifically Orpheus, suspiciously. Her hands were curled into fists at her sides and she seemed ready to pounce at any sudden movements. Suddenly her stomach let out a growl and she clapped a hand over it, shoving herself as far back into the chair as she could. 

“I- I’m sorry,” she whispered. Eurydice could see her tiny frame shaking as she tensed up even more. 

“Hey hey hey, it’s ok hon,” Eurydice said gently, crossing the space between the couch and the chair. “You’re allowed to be hungry, you know.” Phoenix shook her head, curling into herself more. 

“Stupid Phoenix,” she mumbled. “You’re taking up space again-” she cut off into a whimper when Eurydice crouched down next to her. 

“Phoenix, look at me,” she said. Phoenix just shook more, pressing her back into the chair. “Phoenix, I need you to look at me, ok?” Slowly, without unclenching her fists or untensing her shoulders, Phoenix raised her head and met Eurydice’s eyes. “You are  _ never _ just taking up space, ok?” Phoenix nodded slowly. “Whatever he told you about yourself, however he said that you were horrible, I want you to know that that was all a lie. All of it. I’ve known you for all of four hours and I can already see how amazing you are.” Phoenix just shook her head and shut her eyes, clearly trying not to cry. Eurydice glanced desperately back at Orpheus, her eyes pleading for help. Orpheus quickly went to her side. 

“What did he tell you, Phoenix?” Orpheus asked gently. The girl raised her head, silent tears streaming down her face. 

“He- he said that I was a horrible little girl and that every time he gave me food it was just a waste anyway because I didn’t matter and that- and that-” But here Phoenix shut her eyes again, trying desperately to choke back her sobs. 

“Ok, ok,” Orpheus soothed frantically. “Well… uh... he um… he- he sounds like he was full of crap!” 

“What?” Phoenix asked, so startled that she stopped crying a little bit. 

“What?” Eurydice asked, turning to look at him.

“Yeah!” Orpheus said, gaining confidence now. “Why does he have the right to tell you who you are? You know who you are! You know all of those things aren’t true! Don’t let him define you!” While it didn’t boost Phoenix’s self image, she had certainly stopped crying. In fact, she was almost giggling by the end of it. Eurydice shot Orpheus a grateful look, and turned back to Phoenix. 

“Can I give you a hug, honey?” She asked gently. Phoenix paused for a moment, seeming to consider before she nodded carefully and climbed off the chair, allowing Eurydice to embrace her. Eurydice felt the young girl almost relax into her, seeming glad to have found a kindred spirit. 

“I’ve got you,” Eurydice murmured, gently rocking Phoenix back and forth. “I’ve got you sweet pea, I’ve got you.” 

Abt half an hour later????

As soon as they got back upstairs to their apartment, Eurydice started shaking. Orpheus, who had been kind of expecting this, lost no time in wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest, letting herself relax for the first time that night. 

“That was hard for you,” Orpheus said, stroking her hair. It wasn’t a question. Eurydice nodded and turned her head so that her cheek was laying against his heart. 

“I didn’t think that we would be so… so… similar.” 

“Yeah,” Orpheus whispered, “It was almost uncanny,” Eurydice nodded. The two of them lapsed into silence just enjoying each other’s company. Finally, Eurydice broke it by whispering,

“I hope she’s alright.”

“She will be,” Orpheus said confidently. “She’s got the best teacher to help her.” “You’re not so bad yourself,” Eurydice said, smiling up at him. “Did you hear

what was coming out of your mouth earlier?” Orpheus gave an embarrassed smile and mumbled something about improv. Eurydice rolled her eyes,

“Of course that was improv,” she muttered. “Only you could come up with something that good on the spot!” Orpheus just blushed. Eurydice yawned and smiled at him again, before turning towards the bedroom.

“Well, I’m exhausted!” She announced, “I beat up a guy, watched you get slapped, talked a girl out from under a bar, and probably took three years off of Hermes’s life today.” That made Orpheus laugh as he walked towards the bedroom with her. 

“I love you, you know that?” He said, looking at her.

“Yeah, I do know that. And I hope you know that I love you too?” Eurydice said looking back at him. Orpheus just smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders kissing her hair. Later that night they would talk more about the events of the day, the challenges it presented and how they would have to continue to deal with those challenges, but for now they were content just to be together.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I love Phoenix so much


End file.
